Infant high chair assembly

ABSTRACT

An infant high chair assembly includes a high-chair seat, a high-chair tray, transversely-spaced-apart first and second front legs, and a bracing front-leg strut. The bracing front-leg strut has a first portion attached to the first front leg, has a second portion attached to the second front leg, and has a third portion positioned transversely between, and less forward than, the first and second portions. In one construction, the bracing front-leg strut has a substantially arcuate shape including a forward-facing concave portion, an opposing rearward-facing convex portion, a first end attached to the first front leg, and a second end attached to the second front leg. sp  
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     The present application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No.  60/234,276  filed Sep.  21, 2000 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to infant high chairs, and more particularly to an infant high chair having two front legs.

[0002] Conventional infant high chairs include those lacking front and rear legs, such high chairs having two sides and a back. The two sides and the back together extend to the floor in a substantially squared-off “U”-shaped floor imprint. The two sides and the back support the high-chair seat and the high-chair tray. Typically, the high-chair tray is easily removable from the rest of the high chair.

[0003] Conventional infant high chairs also include those having two front legs and two rear legs which support the weight of the high-chair seat and the high-chair tray. In some of these designs, a bracing front-leg strut extends between, and is attached to, the two front legs, and a bracing rear-leg strut extends between, and is attached to, the two rear legs. The front portion of the bracing front-leg strut extends either straight across the front legs or extends forward and across the front legs. In one variation, the bracing front-leg strut contacts the floor, and two non-bracing and floor-protecting sleeves surround the outer ends of the strut and corresponding lower ends of the two front legs. In another variation, the bracing front-leg strut is raised above the floor. In some constructions, the high-chair tray is removable from a snack holder which remains attached to both side armrests above the seat bottom of the high-chair seat. In other constructions, the front and rear legs are pivotally attached so that the high chair may be folded when not in use.

[0004] Typically, an adult carries the infant to the high chair and places the infant in the high-chair seat, and, after use, the adult picks up the infant from the high-chair seat. In some designs, wheels are attached to the floor-most ends of the front and back legs allowing an unoccupied high-chair to be rolled on the floor. It is noted that a high chair is not to be rolled on the floor or otherwise moved when the infant is in the high chair. In some usages, the unoccupied high chair is rolled, or otherwise positioned, close to the kitchen or dining room table.

[0005] What is needed is an infant high chair having a robust design which is more convenient to use than conventional infant high chairs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A first expression of a preferred embodiment of the invention is for an infant high chair assembly having a high-chair seat, a high-chair tray, transversely-spaced-apart first and second front legs, and a bracing front-leg strut. The high-chair seat has a seat bottom. The high-chair tray is positionable above the seat bottom. The first and second front legs each partially support the weight of the seat. The bracing front-leg strut has a first portion attached to the first front leg, has a second portion attached to the second front leg, and has a third portion positioned transversely between, and less forward than, the first and second portions.

[0007] A second expression of a preferred embodiment of the invention is for an infant high chair assembly having a high-chair seat, a high-chair tray, transversely-spaced-apart first and second front legs, and a bracing front-leg strut.

[0008] The high-chair seat has a seat bottom. The high-chair tray is positionable above the seat bottom. The first and second front legs each partially support the weight of the seat. The bracing front-leg strut has a substantially arcuate shape including a forward-facing concave portion, an opposing rearward-facing convex portion, a first end attached to the first front leg, and a second end attached to the second front leg.

[0009] Several benefits and advantages are derived from the invention. The bracing front-leg strut provides a robust design for the first and second front legs. Having the bracing front-leg strut extend less forward than the attachment of the strut to the first and second front legs, such as by designing the strut with a forward-facing concave portion, provides an infant high chair which is more convenient to use. The design of the bracing front-leg strut allows an adult to get closer to the infant high chair when placing the infant in, or removing the infant from, the high-chair seat which reduces the strain on the back muscles of the adult. The design of the bracing front-leg strut also allows an unoccupied infant high chair (especially with the tray removed) to be rolled, or otherwise positioned, closer to a straight or angled table leg, and hence closer to a kitchen or dining room table.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the front and left side of an infant high chair including a preferred embodiment of an infant high chair assembly of the invention including a non-bracing sleeve covering the bracing front-leg strut and a non-bracing sleeve covering the bracing rear-leg strut;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the right side of the infant high chair of FIG. 1; and

[0012]FIG. 3 is a top-planar, cross-sectional view of the infant high chair of FIG. 1 taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 with the non-bracing sleeve removed from the bracing front-leg strut and with the non-bracing sleeve removed from the bracing rear-leg.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] A preferred embodiment of the invention is for an infant high chair assembly 10, of an infant high chair 12, and is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The term “infant” includes a baby, an infant, or a young child. It is noted that infant high chairs include, without limitation, those without wheels and those having wheels designed for indoor use.

[0014] In a first expression of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, the infant high chair assembly 10 includes a high-chair seat 14, a high-chair tray 16, transversely-spaced-apart first and second front legs 18 and 20, and a bracing front-leg strut 22. The high-chair seat 14 has a seat bottom 24 and preferably has a seat back 26. Preferably, the seat bottom 24 and the seat back 26 include padded fabric to cushion the infant. The high-chair tray 16 is disposable above the seat bottom 24. In some constructions, the tray 16 is disposed above the seat bottom 24 at the time of manufacture and is not designed to be removed by the user. In other constructions, the tray 16 is disposed above the seat bottom 24 by the user when a seated infant is to be fed and is removed by the user for various reasons including easier tray cleaning. In one construction, the tray 16 is removably attachable to a snack holder 28 which remains attached to both side armrests 30 (only one of which is shown in the figures) which are directly, monolithically, or indirectly attached to the high-chair seat 14. The first and second front legs 18 and 20 each partially support the weight of the seat 14. The bracing front-leg strut 22 has a first portion 32 directly, monolithically, or indirectly attached to the first front leg 18, has a second portion 34 directly, monolithically, or indirectly attached to the second front leg 20, and has a third portion 36 positioned transversely between, and less forward than, the first and second portions 32 and 34. Preferably, the bracing front-leg strut 22 is covered by a non-bracing, esthetically-pleasing, and scratch-resistant sleeve 38 which also covers a small portion of the first and second front legs 18 and 20 above and below the first and second portions 32 and 34 of the bracing front-leg strut 22.

[0015] It is noted that the bracing front-leg strut 22 imparts strength making substantially rigid the first and second front legs 18 and 20 at the attachment locations on the first and second front legs 18 and 20 of the bracing front-leg strut 22. In one construction, the third portion 36 is disposed transversely substantially equidistant between the first and second portions 32 and 34. Preferably, the third portion 36 is disposed between generally one inch and generally twelve inches less forward than the first and second portions 32 and 34. By “generally X inches” is meant X inches plus or minus one-quarter inch. No significant gain in access to the bracing front-leg strut 22 (by an adult or by a table leg) is gained by recess distances less than generally one inch or more than generally twelve inches. More preferably, the third portion 36 is disposed between generally one inch and generally six inches less forward than the first and second portions 32 and 34. A recess distance beyond six inches typically interferes with minimizing the stowed dimensions of a collapsable infant high chair. Most preferably, the third portion 36 is disposed generally three and one-quarter inches less forward than the first and second portions 32 and 34.

[0016] In one example, the first portion 32 defines a first end 40 of the bracing front-leg strut 22, and the second portion 34 defines a second end 42 of the front-leg strut 22. Preferably, the first end 40 is welded to the first front leg 18, and the second end 42 is welded to the second front leg 20. In another example, the first and second front legs 18 and 20 each have a floor-most end 44, and the bracing front-leg strut 22 is disposed closer to the floor-most ends 44 of the first and second front legs 18 and 20 than to the seat bottom 24. In a further example, the bracing front-leg strut 22 is disposed above the floor-most ends 44 of the first and second front legs 18 and 20. Preferably, the bracing front-leg strut 22 is disposed substantially horizontally when the floor-most ends 44 of the first and second front legs 18 and 20 are disposed on a horizontal surface 46. By “substantially horizontally” is meant horizontally plus or minus fifteen degrees.

[0017] In one design, the infant high chair assembly 10 also includes a first wheel 48 attached to the floor-most end 44 of the first front leg 18 and a second wheel 50 attached to the floor-most end 44 of the second front leg 20. Preferably, standard footwear of an average-sized adult fits underneath the bracing front-leg strut 22 allowing the adult closer access to the high chair 12 to place an infant in, or remove an infant from, the seat 14. In another design, the infant high chair assembly 10 also includes transversely spaced-apart first and second rear legs 52 and 54 each partially supporting the weight of the seat 14 and also includes a bracing rear-leg strut 56 (covered by a non-bracing, esthetically-pleasing, and scratch-resistant sleeve 58) having a first end 60 attached to the first rear leg 52 and having a second end 62 attached to the second rear leg 54.

[0018] Preferably, the first front leg 18 and the first rear leg 52 are free of any interconnecting and bracing leg strut. Likewise, it is preferred that the second front leg 20 and the second rear leg 54 are free of any interconnecting and bracing leg strut. In a preferred construction, the first front leg 18 and the first rear leg 52 are pivotally connected together for rotation about a first pivot axis 64, and the second front leg 20 and the second rear leg 54 are pivotally connected together for rotation substantially about the first pivot axis 64. Such pivotal connections provide for a collapsable infant high chair which minimizes the space required for storage.

[0019] In a second expression of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, the infant high chair assembly 10 includes a high-chair seat 14, a high-chair tray 16, transversely-spaced-apart first and second front legs 18 and 20, and a bracing front-leg strut 22. The high-chair seat 14 has a seat bottom 24. The high-chair tray 16 is disposable above the seat bottom 24. The first and second front legs 18 and 20 each partially support the weight of the seat 14. The bracing front-leg strut 22 has a substantially arcuate shape including a forward-facing concave portion 66 (which is a curved line seen in FIG. 4), an opposing rearward-facing convex portion 68 (which also is a curved line seen in FIG. 4), a first end 40 directly, monolithically, or indirectly attached to the first front leg 18, and a second end 42 directly, monolithically, or indirectly attached to the second front leg 20. Preferably, the arcuate shape is a segment of a circular ring.

[0020] Preferably, the bracing front-leg strut 22 is aligned substantially horizontally when the first and second front legs 18 and 20 are disposed on a horizontal surface 46. The concave portion 66 has a middle point 70 disposed transversely equidistant between the first and second ends 40 and 42. Preferably, the middle point 70 is disposed between generally one inch and generally twelve inches rearward of a forward-most straight line 72 drawn between the first and second ends 40 and 42. More preferably, the middle point 70 is disposed between generally one inch and generally six inches rearward of the straight line 72. Most preferably, the middle point 70 is disposed generally three and one-quarter inches rearward of the straight line 72. Preferably, the straight line 72 has a length of between generally fourteen and generally twenty-four inches.

[0021] Several benefits and advantages are derived from the invention. The bracing front-leg strut provides a robust design for the first and second front legs. Having the bracing front-leg strut extend less forward than the attachment of the strut to the first and second front legs, such as by designing the strut with a forward-facing concave portion, provides an infant high chair which is more convenient to use. The design of the bracing front-leg strut allows an adult to get closer to the infant high chair when placing the infant in, or removing the infant from, the high-chair seat which reduces the strain on the back muscles of the adult. The design of the bracing front-leg strut also allows an unoccupied infant high chair (especially with the tray removed) to be rolled, or otherwise positioned, closer to a straight or angled table leg, and hence closer to a kitchen or dining room table.

[0022] It is noted that the bracing front-leg strut 22 is not limited to a substantially arcuate shape. In one construction, not shown in the figures, the bracing front-leg strut has a first segment, (directly, monolithically, or indirectly) attached to the first front leg, which extends transversely to a second segment which extends rearwardly to a third (and middle) segment which extends transversely to a fourth segment which extends forwardly to a fifth segment which extends transversely to, and is (directly, monolithically, or indirectly) attached to, the second front leg. In another construction, not shown in the figures, the bracing front-leg strut has a first section, (directly, monolithically, or indirectly) attached to the first front leg, which extends reardwadly to a second section which extends transversely to a third section which extends forwardly to, and is (directly, monolithically, or indirectly) attached to, the second front leg.

[0023] The foregoing description of several expressions of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An infant high chair assembly comprising: a) a high-chair seat having a seat bottom; b) a high-chair tray disposable above the seat bottom; c) transversely-spaced-apart first and second front legs each partially supporting the weight of the seat; and d) a bracing front-leg strut having a first portion attached to the first front leg, having a second portion attached to the second front leg, and having a third portion disposed transversely between, and less forward than, the first and second portions.
 2. The infant high chair assembly of claim 1, wherein the third portion is disposed transversely substantially equidistant between the first and second portions.
 3. The infant high chair assembly of claim 2, wherein the third portion is disposed between generally one inch and generally twelve inches less forward than the first and second portions.
 4. The infant high chair assembly of claim 3, wherein the third portion is disposed between generally one inch and generally six inches less forward than the first and second portions.
 5. The infant high chair assembly of claim 4, wherein the third portion is disposed generally three and one-quarter inches less forward than the first and second portions.
 6. The infant high chair assembly of claim 1, wherein the first portion defines a first end of the front-leg strut, and wherein the second portion defines a second end of the front-leg strut.
 7. The infant high chair assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second front legs each have a floor-most end, and wherein the front-leg strut is disposed closer to the floor-most ends of the first and second front legs than to the seat bottom.
 8. The infant high chair assembly of claim 7, wherein the front-leg strut is disposed above the floor-most ends of the first and second front legs.
 9. The infant high chair assembly of claim 8, wherein the front-leg strut is disposed substantially horizontally when the floor-most ends of the first and second front legs are disposed on a horizontal surface.
 10. The infant high chair assembly of claim 9, also including a first wheel attached to the floor-most end of the first front leg and a second wheel attached to the floor-most end of the second front leg.
 11. The infant high chair assembly of claim 1, also including transversely spaced-apart first and second rear legs each partially supporting the weight of the seat and also including a bracing rear-leg strut having a first end attached to the first rear leg and having a second end attached to the second rear leg.
 12. The infant high chair assembly of claim 11, wherein the first front leg and the first rear leg are free of any interconnecting and bracing leg strut, and wherein the second front leg and the second rear leg are free of any interconnecting and bracing leg strut.
 13. The infant high chair assembly of claim 11, wherein the first front leg and the first rear leg are pivotally connected together for rotation about a first pivot axis, and wherein the second front leg and the second rear leg are pivotally connected together for rotation substantially about the first pivot axis.
 14. An infant high chair assembly comprising: a) a high-chair seat having a seat bottom; b) a high-chair tray disposable above the seat bottom; c) transversely-spaced-apart first and second legs each partially supporting the weight of the seat; and d) a bracing front-leg strut having a substantially arcuate shape including a forward-facing concave portion, an opposing rearward-facing convex portion, a first end attached to the first front leg, and a second end attached to the second front leg.
 15. The infant high chair assembly of claim 14, wherein the front-leg strut is aligned substantially horizontally when the first and second front legs are disposed on a horizontal surface.
 16. The infant high chair assembly of claim 15, wherein the concave portion has a middle point disposed transversely equidistant between the first and second ends.
 17. The infant high chair assembly of claim 16, wherein the middle point is disposed between generally one inch and generally twelve inches rearward of a forward-most straight line drawn between the first and second ends.
 18. The infant high chair assembly of claim 17, wherein the middle point is disposed between generally one inch and generally six inches rearward of the straight line.
 19. The infant high chair assembly of claim 18, wherein the middle point is disposed generally three and one-quarter inches rearward of the straight line.
 20. The infant high chair assembly of claim 16, wherein the straight line has a length of between generally fourteen and generally twenty-four inches. 